Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1887-09-23
Farm and Garden Notes.

It is mistake to suppose that sour,
fcrmanted slop for hogs is better than a
fresh mixture that is sweet and clean.
Professor Stewart reports the feeding
of 104 cows on an acre of corn in the
milk, and it gave them full feed for foul
days, equal to 416 days for one COW,
If ina very fat condition the chances
are that the hen will show an inclination
to set. Even the so-called non settlers
on becoming fat will attempt to hatch q
brood.
When the leaves of plants assume q
yellow tinge the application of fifty
pounds nitrate of soda (saltpetre) will
often cause them to again become greer
and thrifty.
A poulterer says; Wewould never at
tempt to keep a flock of chickens
through the winter without plenty Of
dry earth for a dust bath. The best
time to store it is when it is dry.
A farmer writes that he considers &
COW three-quarters Jersey and one-quar-
ter corn meal about as good for butter
as any he can find. He has a small herd
of such cows whose butter sells at &
handsome advance over the average
price.
The dairy cow may be regarded as &
machine for transforming the food which
she receives into milk, butter and cheese
She has no power, however, to produce
something out of nothing. The best she
can do is to perform her work econom
ically.
Farmers will find it to their advantage
to corn mutton in a weak brine for home
consumption. The hams can be smoked
and used like dried beef, or they can be
boiled. The corned mutton will bt
found an agreeable change from sausage
and spare ribs.
Tomato vines will endure quite al
amount of cutting and trimming, and of
ten renew themselves when nearly dead
If the branches be too thick it will be Of
advantage to cut some of them out from
few vines where limited amount Of
early fruit shall be desired.
Store beets, carrots, parsnips anC
turnips in bins in the cellar and paci
them in dry sand or earth and they will
keep well for winter use. This method
viii enable the farmer to use them al
any time, which will not be the case il
they be stored in mounds in the open
air.
Hogs kept in confinement will eat
charcoal or even bituminous coal witt
relish, and they are also fond of rotter
wood, these substances seeming to fur
nish a desired. if not necessary, condi
ment or appetizer. Charred corn once
n week is welcome variation in the fare
of swine.
Sassafras is nuisance in any field, but
it cannot be destroyed very easily except
by grabbing it out, removing all the
roots. Being a hardy and persistent
plant it must be killed in its younger
stages. If allo wed to overrun field it
will entail nearly as much labor as is
required to clear new land from brush.
An observing writer remarks that
farmers may naturally be divided into
three classes: /. Those who grow crops
below the average, and whose lives are a
struggle with poverty. 2. Those who
grow average crops and make living by
close economy. B. Those whose crops
are always above the average, and who
are prosperous.
Those making use of driven wells
should remember that the patent expired
two years ago, and that the wells put
down since then are free of any royalty
also, that tie right Of any person claiming
10 act as agent Of the patcntee should be
clearly established before money is paid
him. 1t is a good rule in all such cases
to go slow and act with neighbors.